Connector-socket for electric lamps or the like.



R. H. WELLES.

CONNECTOR SOCKET FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19. I916.

1,221,255. Patented Apr. 3,1917.

I N iirED 1 j; i

1T OFFICE.

RICHARD H. WELLES, or xn qosnn, wiscgnsiu, -Assre-non TO THE BADGER sness Mrs. 00., or Knnosirawrsconsxn;

ijfionrona'rion or WISCONSIN.

.comvno'ron-sooxnrron nLn TRIc LAMPson THE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD H. WnLLns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kenosha, in the county of Keno'sha and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Connector- Sockets for Electric Lamps or the like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in connector sockets, and is well fitted for use in connection with electric lighting devices, for instance, electrical vehicle lamps.

The objects of the, invention are, to proyide a connector socket of the bayonet type,

constructed of a comparatively small number of mechanical parts; to provide a con struction in which the parts used are c0mparativelysimple in design and also particularly economical to manufacture in large quantities by modern. factory methods; to provide a socket of the bayonet type to .which the electrical contacting means may be connected rapidly and efficiently ;*to providea construction in which the electrical contact is efficient and positive under all conditions; to provide a construction in which danger of short-circuiting is reduced to a minimum; to provide a construction which is particularly well fitted for use in connection with automobile search lamps of the 'singlewire type in which the lamp filament must be capable of axial movement in i the lamp ;'and, in general, to provide an improved construction of the character referred to.

In the drawingsIhave illustrated my 1mproved socket as applied to an automobile searchv lamp of the single-wire type with ad justable bulb for focusing purposes. In

said drawings- Figure 1 is a fragmentary section taken through the axisof the search lamp;

Fig. 2 shows the'socket removed from its v supportin the lamp;

" of Fig. 1.

Fi 3is a section taken on the line 3-3 Fig.- tis e -section takenon the line 4'4 Referring to the .drawings, the socket illustrated, which is of the bayonet type, comprises, as the principal element, a tubular shell or sleeve 10 having the usual pair of opposed bayonet slots 11 which cooperate with the locking pins 12 of an Edispecification of Letters Patent.

formed with a turnover flange 15-projecting Patented Apr. 8, 1917. 7 Application filed May 19,1916. Serial No. 98,498.

inwardly a sufiiciert distance to form a shoulder for the coil sprin'glfi located within the hollow shell 10. As best shown in Fig. 2, a rectangular slot 17 is cut in the sideof the shell '10, wide enough to accommodate a painof-plates l8 and'19 made out o" iber r other suitable insulating material. As shown in-Fig.. 3, the inner ends of irisulatirig-plates'lB "End 19 are circular in shape so as toflfit within the bore of the shell 10, and have ex tensions 20 which project through the said slot 17 o the shell. Between said plates 18 and 19 I insert a connector 21 and secure the said three parts together by means of a central rivet 22. Said rivet 22 is formed at its outer end with a rounded fillister head 23 whichengages the contact plate 24 on the lamp base 13. Beneath thehead -28 the rivet is 6f large diameter, havfriga shoulder which engages the surface cf the I connector 21, the neck 25 of the rivet'ex'tending through perforations in the connector 21 and the plate 18. The, end of the neck 25 of the rivet is headed into a countersunk small diameter washer 26 which holds the "29, which may be folded over the connecting wire for additional security.'- The connector 21 is also preferably constructed so as to l provide a pairof opposed lateral extensions 30 and 31, the outer ends ofwhich are bent over the edges of thmplates 18 and 19, respectively, in opposite directions, as shown gularfinovement of the-connector and o'ssible short-circuiting. It will be observe that the washer 26 is of relatively small diame ter compared with the diameter of the spring {disc-that there is no possible danger of saidKmsher and spring accidentally making contact with each other. The coil spring 16 of course is of the compression type and exerts enough pressure on the plate 18 to insure proper contact between the head 23- and the contact plate 24, while at the same timelocking the Ediswan base. in the socket.

I6 in Fig.2, thereby effectually preventing-am W It will be seen thatmy improved socket is of exceedingly simple design, while at the same time it is extremely positive and reliable in operation. The spring 16 may be madeheavy enough to insure a firm and reliable contact between the contact button 23 and the Contact plate 24 on the base of the lamp or other connective device. The construction also allows ample insulation for the parts which are electrically connected to the circuit, the insulating plates 18 and 19 maintaining the contact button away from the grounded shell and spring, while the extensions QO Of the said plates 18 and 19 prevent the connector 21' from grounding on the sides or ends of the slots 17.

ilthough the invention is capable of many applications, I have shown in Fig. 1 as a particular application ofmy invention, a'

section of an electrical search lamp of the focusing type. In said lamp, 32 represents a portion of'the outer casing within-which is nested a parabolic'reflector 33. Arranged coaxially within the lamp casing and secured thereto by a flanged member 3l, I mount a supporting tube or sleeve 35 extending to ward the front of the lamp. The front end of said tube 35 is open so as to admit the socket shell 10 which is slidable therein, the tube 85 being slotted or cut away, as shown at 36, in order to accommodate the project ing insulating plates 18 and 19. Axial adjustment of the socket fdr focusing the filament 8'? is effected by means of an adjusting screw 38 arranged parallel with the axis of the tube and cotiperating with a tapped aperture in the angle piece 89 secured to the socket shell 10 in any suitable manner, as a screw 10. The head 41 of the screw 38 projects through an aperture in the outer casing 32, the nec k of the screw being rotatably supported in the flanged member 34. Axial movement of the screw 34 is prevented by means of a fixed collar 42. It should be understood that the slot 36 is extended rem-wardly a suflicient distance to provide for the maximum rearward movement of the angle piece when adjusting the focus.

The construction herein described possesses many ad\"antages over devices of this character which have been heretofore brav -ht to my attention. In the first place, he parts of the device are exceptionally heap and simple to produce by means of automatic machinery, such as. punch presses and screw machines. Also, the various parts of the socket may be assembled together swiftly and accuratelywith a'minimum of trouble and without the.danger of injuring or inmairing the efiiciency'of any part or parts of the st. ccture. In practice, when as- :wmbling the device, the large spring 16 and ihe shell are assembled together by simply slip; 1;: the spring endwise into the tube from i he front. The front end of the spring is then drawn 'i'earwardly into compressed device is the ease with which it may be connected to the source of supply. In other sockets, it is usually necessary to lead the 5 supply conductor into the interior of the socket and there secure the. same to the contact or other conducting part by means of a screw or soldering. Soldering the wire inside the sockct is of course 0 enito many objections, and usually cannot practised except by a skilled mechanic, without danger of injuring the insulation or establishing a short circuit. In my improved socket, the connecting clip the shell a considerable distance and the wire maybe secured to its projecting end by soldering'without danger of short circuits or destruction of the insulation.

Since the described details of construction may be modified considerably to suit individual tastes or requirements, it should be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited thereby but must be determined by reference to the appended claims.

I claim 4 1. In a socket of the class described, the combination of a tubular shell having an aperture in its side and intermediate its ends, the front end of said shell being arranged to receive an Ediswan base, a plate of insulating material transversely arranged in and slidable in said shell, said plate having an integral extension pro'ecting through said aperture to prevent an of said plate, a contact carried by said plate for engaging said base,'a spring in said shell behind said plate for into engagement with said base, and a. connecting clip extending from said contact outwardly through said aperture and locked against angular movement with reference to said plate.

2. In a socket of the class described, the combination of a tubular shell provided at its front end with means for locking :1 base inserted in said socket, said shell having intermediate its ends a side aperture, :1 ple of insulatingmaterial arranged transverse? of and slidable in said shell, 0. contact on ried by said plate for engaging said he a coil spring in the rear of said shell f forcing said contact toward said base, if?- lating means between said spring and s (1 contact, and an electrical connectlng 1p lar movement I forcing said contact- 27 extends outwardlf 'from extending through said aperture into sluid 1 30 tact, said plate, contact, and clip constitut ing an integral structure.

3. In a socket of-the class described, the

combination of a tubular shell provided at its front end with bayonet slots for locking an Ediswan. base inserted in said socket, said shell havingintermediate its ends an aperture in its side, a plate of insulating material arranged transversely in said shell, substantially filling, the cross-section of said shell and having an integral extension projecting through said aperture, a contact car ried by said plate for engaging. said base, a coil spring of comparatively large diameter substantially filling the crosssection of said shell at the rear of said plate, having its rear end positioned in said shell and having its front end engaging said plate to force said contact into engagement With said base, and a connecting clip extending out- Wardly from saidcontact through said aperture and locked to said plate against relative angular movement.

4. Ina socket of the class described, the combination of. a shell having: bayonet slots atits front end and a longitudinal slot in its side intermediate its ends, the rear end of said tube being flanged inwardly, an Ediswan base in the front end of said shell, a pair of plates of insulating material transversely disposed in said shell, one of said plates substantiallv filling the cross-section of said shell, and both of said plates having integral extensions projecting outwardly through said slot, a contact rivet carried centrally by sa,icl'plates and uniting the same together, a coilicompression spring of comparatively large diameter in the rear end of said shell, its external diameter being sufficient to, substantially fill the interior of said shell, therear end of said spring being positioned by said flange, and its frontend engaging one of said plates to force said contact toward said base, and a connector interposed between said plates extending outwardly from said contact through said slot and locked to said plates to prevent relative transverse angular movement of said plates and said connector 5. In a socket of the class described, the combination of a shell having: bayonet slots at its front end and. a longitudinal slot in its side intermediate its ends, an'EdisWan base in the frontend of said shell, a front plate of insulating material transversely disposed in said shell, slidable tlierein, and. having an integral extension projecting out- Wardly through said slot, a rear insulating; 0

plate, a sprine' in the rear end of said shell engaging" said rear plate and tending to force the same toward the base, an electrical, connecting clip interposed between said plates and having an integral er itensioniea tending ti'irough said aperture, and a con-f tact rivet extending through said first plate and said connecting clip and uniting the same permanently together and adapted to engage said base.

6, in a socket of the class described, the combination of a tubular shell. having" an aperture in its side intermediate its ends, the front end of said shell being arranged to receive an lldiswan base, a plate of in sulatins, material transversely arranged in and slidable in. said shell, said plate having; an extension projecting through said aperture to limit angular movement of sail plate, a connecting: clip at therear said plate and locked thereto against relative angular movement and extending: from out of the shell through said. aperture, second insulatingplate arranged at the rear of said clip, a spring said last named plate and tending to force said pia' to Ward the base, and a contact pin carried by said plate, engaging, and per-name y united to, said clip for securing said plate together. RICHARD Sci. WEnlaE S. 

